The Big Sandy news. [volume] (Louisa, Ky.) 1885-1929, 1887-05-12
J. b. Beck.

Below will be found a sketch Of
Kentucky's senior Senator. II is
taken from the American Maya
zine:
I'm Senate so evenly divided be-
tween two political parties, the
leading representative of the Adj
ministration in the Committee on
Appropriations is naturally, next
to the chairman, its most impor-
tant member. That man is James
B. Beck, Of Kentucky. Mr.. Beck
lis native OF Scotland, and receiy-
ed sufficient part Of his early edu.
cation in his native land 70 have
stamped upon his character and
woven into his manners tkdsd str.
+dy traits and peculiar ways that
make il impossible to mistake one
Iofhis eountrymen wherever he may
be met with. But Mr.. Beck is
thorough American; afdently in
love with American institution; n
strong partisan, but SO honest in
every fibre as to be utterly intoler-
ant of jobbery or official dishon-
'esty. For eight years he was. a
member Of the House Of Represen-
tatiyes when the attitude of his
party was that Of critic OF the
Northern Administration, and Tor q
similar period he sat in the Senate
before the inauguration of Presi-
dent Cleveland. During those he
frequently had occasion 20 attack
what he conceived to lie abuses, and
threw himself into fight of this
kind with an earnestnest and de-
termination that won the respect Of
opponents.
A recent illustration Of his obsti-
nate persistency IN What lie believes
to be righteous cause, was his adj
vocacy, in season and out Of season,
and in spite of the unpopularity Of
it, Of his bill forbidding members
of Congress to accept retaining fees
or act as attorneys for railroad
companies, 1t is unnecessary here
to dismiss the morality ofthe prac-
tice, but there have been instances
in the past, though there are prob
ably none now, of the evil which he |
sought to correct. The measure
met with much opposition, was re-
considered after it had once been
adopted by the Senate, was depriy-
ed of its advantageous place upon
the Senate calendar and fought in
all sorts Of indirect way, but Sena-
Tor Beck was never discouraged. |
He demanded attention for it again
md again, determined that, lift
lid not become law, It should not
De forgotten either by Congress or
BY the country. And it was not
MS fault that a much less pointed
substitute was finally adopted by
he Senate in its place,
Now, Senator Beck is the Chief
Medium Of communication, aside
rom that through of formal and
,fficial letters, between the Execu-
i've Departments, and the Commit
ee on Appropriations; but care
III watching of his course proves
hat his partisanship does not blind
i'm to the shortcomings Of even
Democratic officials. A "iobp is a
OBJ in his eyes, no matter whois
Interested in it; Democratic extrav-
gance is no more excusable than
republican waste and when he
rings his batteries to bear upon an
bhse, # itbe q real one, its doom
{ sealed. Mr. Boek.s manner is
more nervous and e1cited than any
fhis Senatorial colleagues. When
reused, ha speaks with rapidity
baths terror to the reporters, the
'ords coming from his lips in q
putterlng stream, increasing in
ped az they crowd upon and tum-
le over each other Vi tireless in.
uslrY, he too understands the
icfkings OF the Government as a
business msu grnsps the
etai@s p his great establishment, /
nd What senatprs AIiton and
,eciL drree UB0n mas be acCpntnd I